The Four Founders
by D0nQuix0te
Summary: Bold Gryffindor from wild moor, fair Ravenclaw from glen, sweet Hufflepuff from valley broad, shrewd Slytherin from fen. The shared dream, the triumphs, the struggles and the falls. Read as life begins, within mighty Hogwarts' walls.ON HIATUS: for rewrite
1. Gosh, Ever Heard of Magic?

**This is my first story, and I know this chapter is pretty short. I don't know when the next part will be up!**

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Disclaimer: Obviously, since this is a fanfiction, I do not own Harry Potter**

**Just a more in-depth summary: At the beginning of this story, all four of the founders are young, and close friends, and they start to plan out Hogwarts. There will be disagreements and secrets from one another, and even a bit of a love story. It will get more interesting as it continues, promise!**

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A young dark-skinned woman sat at a wooden desk alone, the small room illuminated by a single candle to her left. Some parchment lay in front of her and a quill rest in her fingers. Unsure of what to write next, she set it down and leaned back, running her long, thin fingers through wavy brown hair.

It was dark, for it was late in the night. The woman yawned, covering her mouth with her hand in politeness. At that moment, she heard a soft knocking on the door. She stood and crossed the room towards the large oak door with a black steel handle.

Unlatching it, she stood face to face with one of her best friends.

'Godric, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence so late at night?' she said, the last part with a little more edge. "You know the hour, I presume?" She looked up fiercely into those large, almost golden, eyes. The young man grinned, showing a set of perfectly white teeth. He was wearing a red tunic which was wrinkled and it looked as though he had thrown it on quickly. A sword was strapped along his waist, just where it always was.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," he said as she turned and he followed her into the wooden front room. "Gosh Rowena, ever heard of magic?" he joked as he saw the candle on the desk. "_Lumos_," he muttered and the tip of his wand lit up.

Rowena made a face at him. "You don't _have_ to use it; in fact it's better to refrain from it, unless it is completely necessary!" she scolded him in a friendly way.

"What can I say," he responded, putting a hand on her shoulder and looking sincere, "I'm not always the practical one!"

"No, more like the dim-witted one …" she said under her breath as she started to clear away her parchment and ink.

"Excuse me? Godric Gryffindor is not dim-witted! I prefer the term 'courageous'," he said grinning widely and holding his fists majestically to his waist, elbows pointing out.

"And blindly so," added Rowena as she sat down once more. "Now tell me, friend, why have to come to my lodgings so late at night?"

Godric dropped into another wooden chair and got comfortable, looking at his friend in the dim light. The candle beside her only lit half her face, leaving a wonderful golden glow on her features and long dark shadows on the rest. Her blue cotton dress looked almost black, and a beaded necklace reached down across her chest. She looked peaceful, even though he had quite literally barged in on her without a warning.

"Ah yes," he replied, looking at her thin form, "It's about our – idea. Salazar said he found a place, a huge one. It would be quite secluded, and we can put more protection against Muggles on it as well. He suggests we meet, and go see it together."

Rowena looked at him for a moment, taking in the grandeur of this news. "A place, you say? What kind of place?"

"I am not certain," Godric replied thoughtfully. "Most likely abundant in land, and I haven't a clue what else. He didn't relay much before going off to talk to Helga."

Rowena nodded, "and when are we –,"

"Tomorrow!" Godric exclaimed before she was finished. He rose to his feet and knelt in front of her to see her face better. "Are you not excited, Rowena? I am looking forward to seeing this place. Our dream of founding an institution to educate young witches and wizards will come true yet!"

The next morning, Rowena sat at her desk once more, but this time she was not writing or working on anything. She was waiting, waiting for the arrival of her three friends. They were going to have a small meeting and then Salazar was planning to show them the land he had come upon.

The previous night Godric had stayed and talked to her for nearly two hours before the both of them were extremely tired and in need of sleep. She had offered him the spare room in her home, as there was no one else living with her, but he had refused, bowing as he turned away from her front door.

She had waited there in the frame of the door, watching his strongly-built body move away into the night, the gleam of the sword still visible after he was not. Rowena had lived alone for quite some time now. Her mother had died giving birth, leaving Rowena alone with her father and no siblings. The man had taught her everything she knew, all her magic and the trades of everyday life. She was sure that he was the most brilliant man to ever walk the face of the earth. She admired him greatly, and had been heartbroken upon his death only a few years ago.

Even since, she had been very independent, not forgetting the things he taught her. She used those abilities to make a life for herself and she was happy enough. She was a natural teacher, as she had taken up a job of teaching people of all ages to read and write.

Of course, she also had her friends, all of whom were an important part of her life. They were all brilliant and amazing, and together they were an amazing team. Rowena seemed to be the most organized and informative, while Godric was brave and determined, Helga was fair and considerate, and Salazar was cunning and resourceful.

There was a knock on the door; this time Rowena knew it wasn't Godric. His knock was always soft, yet quick, while Salazar's was firm and hard. She opened the door to let him in.

"Good morning, Salazar, do take a seat," she told him brightly, and he nodded and obliged. "Godric told me you found some land!" she exclaimed.

"Indeed, Rowena, I do believe this is the place that will be fit for all our needs. I look forward to your opinion, of course," he told her, a hint of excitement creeping up through his always calm voice.

"Yes I am quite looking forward to it, myself," she answered, about to continue when another knock was heard from the door. The dark hair woman jumped up at once to answer it. "Helga!" she exclaimed as her female friend stood at the door. She had short, bouncy blonde hair and a pale complexion. Her elegant golden clothing stood out against the dull dreary day.

The two woman threw their arms around each other happily and then kissed each other on both cheeks. "Good morning, Rowena!" Helga returned the greeting.

They both took a seat with Salazar to wait for the last person of their group. "Always late," Salazar mentioned, referring to said person.

"He should be along any moment now," Helga said. Aside from this, the three of them had little to say. Salazar had filled Helga in with the details last night, as had Godric for Rowena. They were all silently excited, but didn't say anything to their companions.

Rowena, bored of sitting, stood and paced slowly closer to the door. As if in response, Godric's soft knock came through the woodwork. She jumped slightly and let him in. "About time," she said.

Godric leaped into the room excitedly to greet his friends. "Look at all of you, just sitting around!" he exclaimed; Helga grinned. Apparently Godric was the only one to be so outward with his emotions.

"We were waiting for you, dear Godric. The sitting may cease, now that we may begin," Salazar told him.

Godric made a little bow and pulled up a chair to complete the circle of four friends.

"So you think this is it, Salazar?" Helga said looking to the man on her right.

"I do indeed," he answered.

"Shall we go now?" Godric asked, from his spot across from Salazar.

"Perhaps some planning would suffice, before we get that far," Rowena commented from his left.

"Agreed," Salazar replied. "I believe we can start to plan the basics."

"Should we start with plans for the building, or how things will work there, once there are students?" Helga contributed.

"I still think we need to see the place before we can do any planning…" Godric said under his breath.

"You always were the impatient one," Rowena scoffed.

"But I do suppose he has a point," Helga backed him up. "How can we decide on structure plans if we haven't seen the lot?"

Rowena thought about that for a moment and nodded. "I suppose we should go then."

They all exchanged glances and grins around the circle.

"Alright," Salazar said loudly as he stood from his chair. "I'll show you the way."

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**Until next time, thanks for reading - D0n Quix0te**


	2. The Importance of Muggle Studies

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (dang...)**

**AN: Woot! Chapter two. It's a little longer, and the next chapter is almost done too! I'm looking forward to it, the next one is more exciting. It's a little different, but it gets more into the actual plot so hopefully people will actually LIKE this story by then. .>**

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Salazar led them out into the dusty road and down the lane. He walked quickly, his friends right behind him. They didn't have to walk very far, before they could Apparate closer to the area he had found. 

Salazar loved to explore, and going to places he had never been before. He enjoyed gaining information any way he could, whether it meant being truthful or deceitful to achieve it. It was not surprising that he had been the one to find this new place.

He felt a hand slipping into his; he recognized the familiar touch of Rowena. Turning his head, he saw that her other hand was linked to Helga's, whose was grasping hold of Godric's. How intelligent his friends were, to prepare themselves to take along-side Apparation. Salazar didn't waste anytime, and immediately thought about the place he wished to go. Darkness pressed in around them tightly and silently, and in a swift moment they were elsewhere.

The three others looked curiously around them, seeing a few buildings down a small lane. At the end furthest away from them, and apart from the other establishments, there was a large wooden building.

"Hogsmeade?" Rowena wondered aloud, looking up at a sign across the street.

"Yes, it is a quaint town. The land is a little further this way," Salazar responded, pointing up towards a small incline. He started to lead them in that direction and they all followed, while taking in their surroundings.

They walked in silence, still hand-in-hand. It must have rained recently, as the ground was moist and the only sound around them was the squish of the mud under their feet.

Suddenly Helga let out a noise somewhere between a gasp and a sigh. She and Salazar were looking up in front of them, while Rowena and Godric were looking around them. The latter two focused their attention ahead.

There was a majestic hill covered in weeds and other overgrowth, and a huge glistening lake. There wasn't much to look at, but it was indeed a huge stretch of land that was simply screaming for use.

Salazar dropped Rowena's warm hand and turned towards them. He had already seen everything here; what he was really interested in was the reaction from the others.

Godric also took his hand from Helga's and started to walk off ahead. He hadn't said anything yet, and Salazar wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. His best friend was walking up the hill now, along a part where the grass was dead, as though it had been trampled upon.

Helga walked down towards the lake with a soft look on her face. Salazar watched the two of them walking in different directions until Helga reached the edge of the lake. She knelt down and touched her fingertips to the surface. It was cool to her touch, yet she felt warmth from it. She went to rejoin Salazar and Rowena.

As they waited for her return, Salazar watched Rowena, happy to see her mouth slightly open and her eyes big and twinkling. She gazed upon the land silently. If Salazar knew anything about his friend, he knew that she was probably already thinking of the possibilities. Her mind had begun thinking and planning.

"I can feel the magic in this place," Helga told them as soon as she was within ear shot.

"Yes, I do too," Salazar agreed with a grin. "I love it, and it seems almost untouched. We could do whatever we wish with this land."

Rowena nodded. "How close is the nearest form of civilization?" she asked him.

"Far," he answered simply. "There is no one around, except a few in Hogsmeade. We will have to figure out how to get our students here."

"Apparation may work, but I do not believe that would be the best for the younger students," Helga pointed out and the other too sighed in agreement.

"It appears to be that transportation by carriage is our only option for now," Rowena supplied. "Maybe we can think of something better later."

That satisfied them enough for the meantime, and they looked up to see Godric coming back towards them. There was a small bounce in his step, making the sword on his waist bobble up and down.

"This is magnificent, let's start planning, now!" he exclaimed. He took a deep breath; once more scanning the land with is eyes. A smile played across his face and his three friends were finding it rather contagious. The next moment, they were all smiling at each other.

"Thanks, Salazar, you found a great place," Godric broke the happy silence. He patted his best friend on the back.

"No problem, I'm glad you all like it," was the response.

"Shall we begin planning? We could do it here, even," Helga pointed out. The others nodded, wanting to get started on the work, but not really wanting to leave the grounds that would one day hold their school.

Helga silently conjured a wooden table while Rowena conjured four matching chairs without even talking, or looking, at each other. They all took seats and Salazar pulled some parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink from his pack. He pushed it across the table to Rowena. It had always been a silent agreement that she would do the writing.

She took the lid off the ink, dripped the quill in gracefully and wrote across the top of the sheet:_ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _

Salazar watched her handwrite the words in her neat, slanted penmanship, admiring the attention she gave to it.

"Let's start with something simple:" Godric offered, "classes."

"Yes," Rowena responded, "Charm work for sure," she said and she started a list on the parchment.

"Defensive Magic would come in handy," Godric added.

"Potions," Salazar continued.

"Herbology," said Helga.

"Arithmancy," Rowena said quietly, not looking up from the sheet.

"Astronomy,"

"Transfiguration,"

"Runes,"

"Study of Magical Creatures,"

"History of magic,"

"Muggle Studies,"

"Muggle Studies?" Salazar asked, disturbing the flow of suggested subjects.

"Yes, it's useful to know about muggles as well as wizards," Godric answered him. Salazar still didn't look convinced. "We have to share the land with them, whether we like it or not," Godric added.

"It _is_ kind of interesting," Helga thought aloud, "to understand how they manage without magic."

Salazar looked at his friends, who all seemed to be in agreement. Rowena didn't pitch in, but she didn't disagree either. It was obvious that he was defeated on this subject. He decided not to respond, to show that he wasn't in total agreement, but he would live with it since all of them liked the idea.

When no one else spoke, Rowena took it as the moment to move on.

"What else should we decide right away?" she wanted to know.

"Since the school will be far away, the students will need to stay for the year," Helga said, "except for the summer, and holidays, naturally"

"So we shall require dormitories, and a dining room," Rowena finished her best friend's idea.

Godric reached towards Rowena's hand, and looked at her as if asking to use the quill and parchment. She obliged, handing it to him and pushing a fresh sheet in front of him. He smiled and nodded in recognition and then drew a rectangle on the page.

"So this," he said slowly, "could be the dining hall." He drew a smaller area in front of it. "I think an entrance hall would be good too."

"Then the rest of the first floor can be classrooms," Helga added.

"We could have towers, for the dormitories," Salazar helped. "How about having one on each corner of the castle?"

"Yes, and one of them will have to be used for Astronomy, if the classes want to go up and see the stars when it is dark," said Rowena.

Salazar was happy with the progress they were making. The idea had been planted in the minds of these four friends for a couple years now, ever since they had met and found consolation in each other about their powers. Witches and wizards were not accepted by society, and they were forced to turn to secrecy. Salazar had always felt alone, but then he had met Rowena, Godric, and Helga and he had felt in place with them ever since.

They were going to make history, he knew it. He craved to be acknowledged, even though he wasn't sure if it would happen. It would take awhile to build the castle, and start teaching students. If any acknowledgment were to happen, it would most likely be after he and his friends were long gone.

He forced himself to think about the good in the idea: witches and wizards grouped together and able to learn their crafts to the best of their ability. It was the beginning of organized magical practice.

They were changing the way wizards lived. It was a large task, but he was sure that the four of them together could manage it.

"That sounds amazing, Godric!" Helga was saying excitedly when Salazar tuned back into the planning session. They know had four separate sheets with what looked like floor plans. They were all fairly similar, but they all had a couple unique features.

Salazar looked at the point form notes Rowena was now putting beside Godric's diagrams so that they wouldn't forget. Now, she was writing 'moving staircases'.

Salazar chuckled. Moving staircases was defiantly something Godric would come up with, since it was interesting and different, yet not completely foolproof. Any student could find themselves in a tough situation like that; going up a flight of stairs, only to find that the staircase had moved to attach to a different landing.

It seemed as though seeing this land had awoken their imaginations, as idea after idea was put forth and written down. Suddenly Salazar came up with a random suggestion.

"I think we should plant a forest," he said, as soon as there was a moment when the conversation slowed down a little. "Then, in many years, there will be a magnificent and old forest right there, on the grounds," he said nodding towards the side of the lot.

"Yes, I suppose that would work, if the castle is over here," Helga pointed to the small incline, "and the lake will remain there, sort of in the middle of the grounds," she gestured towards it, "so the forest could be there!"

Salazar was glad that she agreed instead of asking him why he thought they should have a forest. Honestly, he didn't know why, he just thought it would be a good idea. He looked at Godric and Rowena, who once again seemed to be in agreement.

"We need material," Rowena said simply. "I think we may start building soon."

The other three nodded and then started to think about where they would get stones to start making the castle, not to mention the tools they would need to dig into the ground for the foundation. Like any other castle, there would also be dungeons. The building of the castle would take awhile, with just the four of them. Helga and Godric could give their full attention to the plans for the building, while Rowena and Salazar had other jobs they had to attend too. Salazar was an apprentice alchemist.

Helga said she would get some starter tools and materials, offering Godric's help as well with a grin. Once they had some things to start with, they could use conjuring charms and multiplying charms for the rest.

Now that it was much later in the day and a lot of planning had been done, it was time to go back home, so they walked off together once more, into the village of Hogsmeade. From there they apparated all together, hand in hand, though they could have done it individually. It would soon become a tradition to do so, even after all four of them were familiar with the place.

The next afternoon, Salazar was in a dimly lit shop where he helped an alchemist brew potions. The old man was a wizard, Salazar knew, but the two of them didn't talk about it much. He was in the other room giving all his attention to a potion that needed to be stirred counter-clockwise every fifteen minutes. Salazar stood at a counter, chopping valerian roots, adding it to a small mound of asphodel for a Draught of Living Death.

It had been a calm day, and Salazar found his thoughts often drifting off, thinking about the school. He wondered how Helga and Godric were coming along and if they needed any help. Rowena was teaching still, but the two of them were to meet later.

When Salazar was done for the day, he said goodbye to the old alchemist, donned his long cloak and stepped out into the street.

When he arrived at Rowena's house, the door was already open. She was waiting there, smiling, with chairs already set out for them to sit on. Salazar nodded to her and took a seat before she could offer one as she usually did. She joined him, and without a word she passed him a stack of parchment that was covered with what Salazar recognized as Rowena's thin penmanship. At the top was the title for their school, which had been decided the previous day.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_All pure-blood, half-blood and muggle-born witches and wizards shall attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for seven years of education, starting at the age of eleven. Due to its location, all students will be required to stay at the castle overnight, excluding holidays such as Easter and Christmas._

_Students will arrive to the village of Hogsmeade by Portkey and travel the remaining distance to the school by carriage._

_First Year Classes: _

_Charms_

_Defensive Magic_

_Potions_

_History of Magic_

_Herbology_

_Astronomy_

_Transfiguration_

_Elective Third Year classes:_

_Runes_

_Care of __Magical Creatures_

_Arithmancy_

_Muggle Studies_

_Divination_

The sheets underneath it were neater copies of the floor plans, with the notes beside them. The plans were set, and the four friends were eager to begin.

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**Please review, I like feedback! Thank you for reading. **

**Much thankies to xLady-Helenax, my lovely BETA! **

**Until next time, which will be soon, farewell!**

**-D0n Quix0te**


	3. A Chronological Record of Events

Good Day! Here's chapter 3! Please enjoy.

I'll try my best to get the next chapter up soon, but school slows things down a little. Sorry if I take awhile!

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, Harry Potter was not mine.

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_**May 20th 1013**_

_Today Salazar and I worked while Godric and Helga acquired all our supplies. We met at Godric's house and apparated to Hogsmeade and then walked up to the land. We marked the hill where we were going to hollow the ground with our wands for the dungeons and the foundation. _

_It was quick, easy work and since we are so far removed from muggle territory that we needn't be bothered to hide our magical abilities. _

_After we finished, we drew a more detailed land plan of the grounds. The castle is now fully planned, with the lake remaining just as it is. The forest will be on the edge of the grounds, and it will be abundant in wild plant life and trees. Helga wishes to plant some large gardens for the Herbology classes; they will be on the grounds between the castle and the forest. _

_Godric was eager to start working on the castle, but Salazar and I agreed that we should wait and plan more. This resulted in a dispute between the two of them but it didn't last long. _

_**June 1**__**st**__** 1013**_

_The foundation is complete! We are now placing stone into the base of the castle, and Salazar is taking charge of the design for the dungeons. _

_We made a new decision today concerning the arrangement of the students. They will now be sorted into "Houses" depending on their personality. There are four, and the four of us are head of one of them. The students chosen for our house will have similar qualities to us. _

_Gryffindor: brave and daring._

_Hufflepuff: loyal and fair._

_Ravenclaw: wise and creative._

_Slytherin:__ resourceful and cunning._

_Salazar wants the dormitories for his house to be in the dungeons. Godric and I think we will use two of the corner towers and Helga still isn't sure where she will put hers. _

_**June 19**__**th**__** 1013**_

_We made a lot of progress today. All the dungeons are in tact and Salazar's dormitory is mostly done, but I haven't seen it. He says it's a secret, and only the Slytherins are allowed to lay their eyes upon it. I'm starting to come up with decorations for the Ravenclaw dormitory. _

_We had a little extra fun yesterday in the finished dungeons. _

"What are we all looking at?" Salazar asked, as he came up a stone staircase from the Slytherin dormitories and spotted his three friends standing down the hall, facing a large, framed mirror.

"Oh, come see, Salazar!" Helga called back to him, a smile on her face.

Salazar obliged, and briskly made his way towards them, to see Godric walking out of the view of the mirror.

"Have a look," Godric told him, beaming. Salazar raised his eyebrow, and then made to stand in front of the mirror.

At first, he only looked at his reflection, but then a feminine voice sounded from the framework.

"_Such long limbs!_" the voice said. "_Similar to a monkey's."_

Salazar gaped, as his friends laughed. He stepped away from the mirror and looked at Godric.

"What did you do to it?" he demanded.

"With just a bit of bewitchment, I made it far more interesting!" said Godric. Salazar closed his eyes and held his thumb and index finger to the bridge of his nose.

"Very mature, Godric," he said.

"I believe it's quite comical," Rowena added. She was now standing in front of the mirror herself, and she and Helga were giggling.

"_Lavender really isn't your colour, dear. Try blue, to go with your eyes," _the mirror instructed.

"See? No harm in it, Salazar!" Godric said, turning back to his friend.

"It's a little unprofessional," Salazar replied.

"I assure you," Helga said, "Once there are students within these walls, many things won't be all that professional."

Salazar shrugged and the others laughed.

_I have a feeling that the castle will end up with a few interesting features._

_**June 27**__**th**__** 1013**_

_We are working on the Entrance Hall now. We will finish the rest of this floor and then come back to design the Great Hall, where the meals and gatherings will take place. _

_The temperature is rising even more and we're spending so much time outdoors. After the summer I think I will leave my other job so I may help with the construction of the castle even more. _

_**July 3**__**rd**__** 1013**_

_We are still working on the Entrance Hall and the rest of the floor. Helga and I are getting really good at putting down stone. She knows a charm to shoot mortar from her wand, and then I levitate the stones into place. _

_Godric and Salazar were planning what the front doors should be like and what protective enchantments to place upon them._

_**July 11**__**th**__** 1013**_

_The four of us took a break today, as it is very hot. We met at Helga's; taking a break from the school, yet our minds couldn't stray from it for long. _

_**July 19**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Salazar showed up with seeds today and we planted the forest. I can't wait until some of the trees start to grow. Helga and I stayed late and chatted by the lake. _

"Helga?"

The blonde raised her head from looking at the surface of the large lake and turned to her friend.

"Yes?" she asked.

"What's it like – to be betrothed?" Rowena asked, not looking up, her eyes blank. Her feet swayed back and forth slowly in the cool water. Her shoes lay beside her, and her skirt was folded up above her knee.

Helga smiled. "It is fine," she answered. "It's quite a bit simpler, really, then finding a man on your own."

"Do you ever wish you weren't, though? Do you feel as though you were robbed of the opportunity to fall in love?" Rowena asked, finally looking at her friend.

"Perhaps I was, but it makes no difference to me now. I don't have to worry about finding someone to settle down with, a man has been picked for me. He's a fine man, so I'm happy to be his."

Rowena did not think betrothal sounded very good, but Helga seemed to be just fine with it. It was true that her best friend was very accepting, and always saw the best in every situation.

_**August 5**__**th**__** 1013**_

_The Entrance hall is complete, along with a magnificent marble staircase. Godric and I started working on the rest of the rooms on this floor, including some classrooms, some bathrooms, the kitchens, and other extra things. _

_Helga decided her Hufflepuff dormitories will be closer to the base of the school instead of up in a tower and she has begun planning it. _

_**August 12**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Helga and I went looking for some nice paintings to decorate the school with. We found many, including an interesting one with a squat knight and his horse. The entrance to the kitchens is a painting. We thought it would be interesting, and hard for students to find. It's a painting of a bowl of fruit, and to get in, you must tickle the pear!_

_**August 20**__**th**__** 1013**_

_We've all been working together nicely but now that we have gotten into more difficult floors, we have small arguments every so often. _

_This is my last week teaching, and then I will be building along with the others. Salazar still has his job but he works more often in the evenings. He and Godric don't always see eye to eye on things, but Helga is good at helping them calm down. I just hope we can get through the building of this castle without a major fight. _

_**September 2**__**nd**_

_I haven't written for awhile, because we have been really busy! I'm finished my work, and have been spending some time figuring out all the protective spells we may use on the grounds. Even though we are far from the muggles, we still think it's necessary to make it hard to locate. I have already worked out a spell so that you cannot apparate or disapparate in or around the grounds. _

_The front doors are magnificent and the gates are__ decorated with winged boars and the school's crest. Even more spells were placed upon them to keep intruders out. _

_Helga and Salazar are still both working on their dormitories, which include common-rooms for the students to spend time in and do schoolwork. Salazar's house colours are green and silver, he says. His animal is a snake, as he is a Parselmouth. Helga's colours are black and yellow and her animal is a boar. _

_Godric and I talked about our dormitories too. I will use the West tower for mine. We sat on the marble staircase (which now includes a vanishing step!) and thought about our houses together. My colours will be blue and bronze; his will be red and gold. I think Godric and I are beginning to draw closer as friends. Helga is my best friend, and Salazar is Godric's, but Godric has been visiting with me a lot more then he usually does in the evenings after a day of building. _

_**September 13**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Godric and I worked on the towers today, on all four main corners of the castle. There are some really nice spiral staircases in them. We also worked on the moving staircases in the middle of the school. They are quite interesting, and we needed to find the perfect spells for them, but I think it worked out quite nice. Eventually there will be many of them, so that the students may use them to get to any floor they wish in the school. _

_**September 19**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Salazar couldn't help build today. The alchemist he works for is having some health problems and may be on the verge of death. He spent the day in the shop, finishing some potions the man started and had to leave. Salazar isn't sure what he will do if the alchemist dies; will he take over the shop, or close it down? I went to visit him around midday to make sure he was doing alright. _

_**September 25**__**th**__** 1013**_

_The building is going smoothly now, as we are just doing classrooms and the like. We're moving along quite quickly. Honestly, I thought building the castle would take longer then this! I suppose using magic really helps. Having the outer walls all done helps, it looks more complete from the outside, just needing to be filled in. _

_The forest is already starting to grow, slowly but surely. I believe it will be wonderful someday; I just wish I could live to see it a hundred years from now__I'm glad Salazar thought of it. _

_**October 3**__**rd**__** 1013**_

_After getting bored with some of the other floors, we came back to the Great Hall, since we left it a little unfinished. There will be four long tables in which the students will sit according to their house. At the far end of the Hall, is a low podium with the professor's table. We want to do something magical in that room, something fantastic for the students to see when they first arrive, but he haven't thought of anything yet. _

_Today we went swimming in the lake. We never thought about doing it during the summer because we were so focused on building. I couldn't stay in long, it was very cold! Godric, of course, jumped right in, saying it was a perfect temperature. That man has nerve, I tell you. If we want to go swimming in it again, we'll have to wait until after winter is over, as the weather is already getting chilly. _

_**October 6**__**th**__** 1013**_

_We spent some time at Helga's today, talking. We're coming up with some additional things to add to the castle, like magically hidden rooms. While we discussed, I caught Godric watching me. I think there was something on his mind, but I didn't get a chance to ask him if he was alright. _

_One of our interesting new ideas is a magical room that you cannot see, unless you are thinking about something you need while walking by it. It will be a room that, if revealed to you, will contain exactly what you wish. It will be on an upper floor. _

_**October 14**__**th**__** 1013**_

_We began building the courtyard today, stretching out from the school and into the grounds. It is nice, with grass, stone benches, and stone walls with archways. _

_Both Salazar and Godric were quiet today, and they weren't really talking to each other. I fear they have had another disagreement. On the way home, I invited Salazar into my house and we chatted for a little while. It was quite enjoyable and I think he felt a little better afterwards. _

_**October 19**__**th**__** 1013**_

_We have been working on the less exciting parts of the castle: the classrooms. Most of them look similar, unless we have decided what subject will be taught there and we can think of something useful to add. _

_I'm really happy with the results so far. We have come a long way, with mostly just detailed touches left, and decorating. I'm ready to work on my Ravenclaw dormitory as well, and I will begin it soon._

_**October 26**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Tonight we are sleeping in the school. We thought it would be fun to stay overnight, so we arranged to sleep in the Great Hall. It was while we were lying there, trying to fall asleep, that we all came upon an idea. _

Four bedrolls, filled with four warm bodies, were laid across the floor of the Great Hall. They were placed in a circle, so that the heads of said four people were all together, so they could talk easier.

Now that it was later, however, talking has subsided, and instead the friends were attempting to fall asleep. All four of them were wide awake, however, staring at the great ceiling above them.

Suddenly, the noise of bedroll material was heard, and all of the friends had turned to face the other three. They weren't surprised to see that none of them had fallen asleep.

"The ceiling," both Godric and Salazar said quietly at the same time.

"Bewitched to look –" Helga and Rowena continued.

Then after a millisecond of silence, they all chorused, "like the sky."

_With some nice magic, we shall bewitch the ceiling of the Great Hall to look like it has opened up to the heavens. _

_**October 31**__**st**__** 1013**_

_All Hallows Eve is tonight. We didn't go to work on Hogwarts today and we are all staying in tonight. Hallows Eve generally makes the village people see magic everywhere, and they may claim that anyone is a witch or wizard. To be careful, we are laying low. _

_**November 4**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Before we could finish the Great Hall, we needed to find the correct spells for the ceiling. Shockingly enough, I don't know a strong enough spell to make the ceiling change, to match the real sky. _

_Godric and I went to a small magical book shop, located behind a pub in London. It's the only place I know of where I can get books about magic. Together we searched for the correct book of charms and I purchased it. After a bit of practicing, I do believe we will be able to handle the spell work. _

_**November 8**__**th**__** 1013**_

_This is a little more personal then writing about how the school is coming along…but lately I've been feeling a little less satisfied. I am unsure of the reason, yet I have been feeling different then normal. I am a fully grown adult, and I feel like a child, being so unsettled at this age. Normal females have married and given birth to children, having a loving family, supported by the job of their husband. _

_I am single, I have no family, and I have no job. Even if I am busying myself with Hogwarts, I still need to provide for myself. _

_I wish to have someone to talk to about this, but whom? I fear Helga wouldn't fully understand my feelings, due to the fact that she already has a husband. Aside from her, I have no female friends. _

_There is something else. Whether it is because I feel lonely, or it is genuine interest, I believe I have grown fond of someone. _

_**November 12**__**th**__** 1013**_

_Today it snowed for the first time this winter. __The inside of the castle was cold, so we lit some of the fireplaces while we worked on some small details here and there. We are fortunate that we have completed the exterior of the castle already, to keep the snow and any other weather outside, while we work on the inside._

_**November 16**__**th**_

_Today Helga and I went out together to purchase some decorating related items for the four house dormitories. We bought paint, fabric, and other such things. _

_While we had time to ourselves, I mentioned how I was feeling and Helga was quick to comfort me. As I suspected, she wasn't sure she completely understand my situation, but she did remind me that once the school is finished, we will all be needed to teach. All four of us must devote ourselves to Hogwarts, and that we shall do. _

_We'll have our magic, we'll have the students, and best of all, we shall have each other. _

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xLady-Helenax is the bestest BETA in the world! Thanks for your help, love.

Thanks for reading, please review!

Untill next time,

-D0n Q


	4. Four Common Rooms and a Walk in the Snow

Hiya, everyone.

This is a shorter chapter, but an important one! If all goes according to plan, the next one will be out BEFORE CHRISTMAS! Exciting, I know!

Much thanks to my beta, xLady-Helenax. Love you, darling!**

* * *

**

With her wand, Helga silently hung curtains around the beds in the Hufflepuff boy's dormitories. They were a pale yellow colour, to represent the house's colours. The dark wood went well with it.

With a flick of her wand, the fabric slid across the top of the bed, to enclose that side of it. Standing back, she looked over the room which had two beds on each side of the wall.

The four of them hadn't been sure of how many beds to put, but they at least knew how many years the students would be staying. They had decided to have seven rooms for the seven years, with a few beds in each. The rooms were large enough that, if needed, one or two more beds could fit alongside the others.

Happy with the finishing touches, Helga turned and left to go to the girl's dormitories. She went into the bathroom, inspecting everything from the lavatories to the showers.

They had really come a far way. Things were coming together quickly now, with only small things and decorating left. Helga smiled to herself as she thought about how well she and her friends had been working together the past couple of weeks.

Everyone was focused upon the dream they all shared; to start a school for witches and wizards. Nothing could come between them if they kept their goal in mind.

Helga stepped over to the bathroom window and glanced down into the grounds. She could see her gardens from where she stood, as well as where the trees were growing slowly from the ground.

She didn't want to be distracted for too long, so she turned away and lifted her wand to finish preparing the dormitories.

* * *

Salazar was already done his dormitories, thus he had nothing much to do. He sat silently in a wooden common room chair staring into the fire blazing in the hearth. There were probably other things he could do elsewhere in the castle, but right now he was enjoying having some time to himself. 

He had time to think. He thought about how close the castle was too finished, and what they meant to him and his friends. Hogwarts was almost ready to be lived in all year-round. Soon, they would be teachers. They would secretly be teaching magic to pupils they found themselves.

The fire crackled suddenly, jerking Salazar's attention to it. He watched the flames glow and the embers fall to the base of the pit. His eyes remained unblinking, as he gazed into the golden fire. It was very warm and inviting, just like most of the fireplaces in Hogwarts. Salazar wondered how his friends were fairing. Rowena had been looking forward to decorating her house's tower. He wished he could go visit her, and help her if she wanted, but he knew he couldn't. They were all giving each other time on their own to create a living space for their students.

Suddenly, Salazar diverted his gaze from the fire, and stood. He decided to walk through the Slytherin tower to make sure everything was complete. If it was, he would move on through the dungeons and do whatever he could to prepare the castle to be a school.

* * *

In a strike of brilliance, Rowena had thought up a motto for her Ravenclaw house. 

_Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure. _

Smiling, Rowena gracefully etched those words around the ceiling of her house's common room in gold.

She was almost finished, and in her opinion, her dormitories looked amazing. She thought they looked majestic in the houses deep blue colour and bronze undertone.

Rowena hoped her friends were finishing up as well. She was much anticipating the completion of the school. The new year was fast approaching, and if they were lucky, they could take a break for the holidays.

Being the organized person she was, Rowena already had plans for the months after Christmas. When the four of them got together other the holidays, they could discuss their next steps.

Rowena was getting a sense of satisfaction and security in the thought of Hogwarts being close to finished. She was finally getting somewhere in life, making her dreams happen. Ever since she met Salazar, Helga, and Godric, her life had changed. Prior to them being a part of her life, Rowena never imagined that anyone shared her vision to magical education.

Stifling a yawn, she set her wand down on a table and took a seat in front of it. The room around her seemed to be finished, yet something nagged at the back of her mind, as though she had forgotten a small detail. She closed her eyes, and let her mind analyze everything she had done in the Ravenclaw tower.

A moment later, her tense form shifted to comfortably fit into the frame of her chair and she slipped into slumber.

* * *

Godric was taking a break. He sat in a red upholstered chair, at a large wooden table that would eventually be used to do homework. 

He ran a cloth over the blade of his long sword, polishing from its sharp silver point to its ruby embedded handle.

Godric was satisfied with Gryffindor tower. He hoped the students would appreciate it as much as he did. He thought the common room was very pleasant, clearly displaying Gryffindor's colours of red and gold. There was a lot of space, filled with many places to sit, either at a table or in front of the fire. The entranceway was blocked by a thick redwood door.

Godric was very excited to bring the students he picked for Gryffindor up into the tower and show them where they would be staying all year. He was also looking forward to the start of the term, though he would never admit that he was excited for teaching. The idea of magical education appealed to him and he wished to begin exploring it with his students immediately.

He and the others had not decided how they were going to teach yet. Would the four of them be enough? It depended on how many students were able to come, Godric supposed. How would they get more teachers, if that was needed?

They had been distracted with the rapid building process, and had not thought everything through yet.

Godric hastily set down the cloth, and sheathed his sword again. He stood, to retrieve a quill and some parchment and ink. He settled in front of the fire, and started a list of things they still needed to discuss. Godric would do everything in his power to have students walking through these halls as soon as possible.

* * *

Salazar strolled into the Great Hall, finished double checking the dungeons. As far as he could see, everything was set. 

He looked up to see Helga seated at the table at the far end, her chin in her hands as she looked up into the sky above the room. It was sunny out, and the room seemed to glow under its brilliance.

He made his way up to her, and she only noticed his presence when he was no more than ten yards away. Startled, she lifted her head and smiled at him.

"Good day, Salazar," she said kindly.

"Good day to you as well, Helga. You must be finished with your dormitories," Salazar replied.

"That I am, just finished a quarter of an hour ago," she replied happily. "Yours are complete as well?"

"Yes, I do believe that whole area of the castle is finished. It came together very quickly, did it not?" he mused.

"It did, indeed. I do hope Rowena and Godric are faring well. We ought to celebrate soon, to commemorate a job well done!" Helga said as she stood up and came to Salazar's side. "Have you heard from either of them in the past few hours?"

"I have not, but surely if you have finished, they should be soon as well. Would you like to accompany me for a stroll outside? I should think that by the time we return, the other two will have finished," Salazar suggested.

Helga nodded and started to walk to the other end of the Great Hall. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Salazar. It is a little cold outside, however, so do wear your winter robes."

Salazar followed her. "They are in my dormitories. _Accio winter robes_," he muttered while he walked with her. Helga had left hers in the Entrance Hall, and donned them just as Salazar's flew up from the dungeons. He casually caught them in one outstretched hand and threw them around his shoulders.

The ground was littered with ankle-deep, fresh snow. Helga shivered a little and pulled her robes closer around her. The sun still shone brightly.

They walked to the courtyard that faced the upcoming forest. The stone arches were covered in snow and the ground crunched under their feet.

"Come spring," Helga began, "it will have been a full year since you first discovered this place. How it has changed in that time!"

Salazar realized she was right. The year had gone by slowly, as they were so busy, but now that it was close to over, it seemed like the time had gone by far too quickly.

"It's true," he said slowly. "I'm glad it didn't take too long to build the castle. Thank Merlin for magic."

Helga giggled and nodded. They continued to chat between the two of them as they walked along the courtyard, passed the gardens and came back around to the front gates. When they reached the door, they were warmed up, and rosy-cheeked.

As they came in through the gigantic oak doors, they glimpsed Rowena and Godric sitting side by side on the steps up to the first floor.

"Hello, friends!" Helga called, waving her arm above her head. She fluffed up her blonde hair and she hung her outdoor robes in a closet by the doorway. Salazar slung his over an arm and walked with her to the staircase.

Rowena stood when they arrived and stepped down to their level. Reluctantly, Godric pushed himself up from the staircase and followed.

"We wondered where you two had gotten too," Rowena said, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"We took a walk while waiting for you two to finish in your towers," Salazar supplied.

Godric stretched dramatically. "We're all done, you two must be as well," he said.

"That we are. So I suppose this means…" Helga replied quietly.

"The castle is completely finished," Rowena breathed out, just as quietly. The four were silent for a moment, watching each other for a reaction.

Godric's face suddenly lit up, and his face stretched into a huge smile. "Finished!" he exclaimed. "Hogwarts is _finished_!"

* * *

Huzzah. Please review to let me know if you enjoyed this chapter! 

On a side note, my beta and I gave each other 30 word-prompts, and I'm writing 30 HP oneshots. If you're interested, check out my profile. Thank you for your support.

I love you all, my readers!  
-D0nQuix0te


	5. Annalis Natura

**Hey look, Chapter 5!**

**Well, I had originally planned on getting this out just in time for Christmas, but I fail at life sometimes, so you're just going to have to deal with some lovely Christmas-y stuff! **

**Disclaimer: It's all JK Rowling's. **

**My beta, xLady-Helenax, is the bestest person EVER!

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**

Helga was admiring the Christmas tree she had decorated with her husband when there was a hard knock on the door. Excitedly, she strode to the door, and opened it to see Rowena, a thick navy robe hugging her form, with flushed cheeks and windswept hair.

"Happy Christmas!" the dark-haired woman exclaimed.

"Happy Christmas to you as well, Rowena," Helga replied, and the two embraced tightly. "Please, come inside where it is warm!" she hastily added.

Rowena came in, and started to remove her outdoor robes. She sighed with relief as the warmth of the house heated her skin.

"Is no one else here yet?" she asked lightly, picking up a bag she had set down while hanging up her robes.

As they walked into the living room together, Helga replied, "No, you are the first. You are usually early, Godric is usually late, and Salazar is forever unpredictable."

Rowena laughed at her friend's analysis; it was entirely true.

"You're tree is wonderful!" she gasped. It was dazzling with lights, baubles, and strings of popcorn, and the top was decorated with an angel.

Helga smiled. "Thank you! We ought to decorate a tree all together, some year," she mused.

Rowena nodded, but before they could continue their conversation, they were interrupted by another knock on the door. She quickly set her bag down beside the tree.

"Too on-time to be Godric," Helga said with a grin and Rowena nodded again, "must be Salazar then."

Sure enough, it was indeed the tall, lanky gentleman, looking just as windswept as Rowena had. Rowena couldn't help but smile at how he looked, for he normally made sure he was well-kept and as formal as possible.

"Good evening, ladies, and Happy Christmas," said Salazar, as he bowed a little, before coming through the door.

"Happy Christmas!" the women chorused happily.

A few moments later they were back in the living room, where Rowena and Salazar sat down, and then Helga left them to get drinks.

"How have your holidays been so far, Rowena?" Salazar said to commence conversation.

"Quite nice, really," she responded. "I've spent a lot of time home, reading. Having independent, quiet time has been lovely. How about yourself?"

"Very much the same," Salazar told her. "I cleaned up around the shop."

"Oh yes, how is Mr. Agrippa doing?" Rowena asked in a concerned voice, remembering how the health of Salazar's mentor was wavering. Surely the cold weather would not help.

Salazar replied with a deep sigh. Rowena watched his face change slightly; his eyes went a shade darker, and the lines of his skin seemed deeper and more prominent. The woman knew what her friend's answer would be before he even opened his mouth.

"He is unwell," said Salazar, rather unnecessarily. "He had been feeling better, no more than a fortnight ago, but he has fallen ill once again. I really do fear for his life, as his health is the worst it has ever been."

Rowena wasn't sure how she should reply. It was sad that her friend was on the verge of losing someone who was important to him. Salazar had not been born here; he had traveled to this place, leaving his family behind. Though Salazar was consistent in acting as though he held no emotional connection to anything or anyone, Rowena knew that the wizard, Agrippa, was the closest thing Salazar had to a fatherly figure.

Words didn't seem to be enough, so she raised a thin hand and rested it on Salazar's forearm, running her thumb gently back and forth over the thick fabric of his sleeve.

He took another deep breath, as if assuring her that he would be alright.

At that moment, Helga reappeared with a sliver try balanced upon her hands. Four glasses, a bottle of mulled mead, and some serviettes were laid out on top of it. She set it down on the coffee table, turning two glasses right side up.

"Here's something to warm you both up," Helga said enthusiastically as she poured the mead into the glasses. She went to put the bottle down, as a knock sounded from the front door, but Rowena raised a hand to stop her.

"That will be Godric," she said. "I will go let him in."

She slowly took her other hand from Salazar's arm, looking downwards, and got up to answer the door.

Godric greatly contrasted the mood that Rowena and Salazar were in after talking about Agrippa. He beamed, he spoke loudly and excitedly, he moved quickly in grand movements, and his laugh boomed; deep and colourful.

Helga and Salazar heard him wish Rowena a Happy Christmas from the living room, and then heard it again as he entered the room.

It was amazing, how the Christmas holidays could affect one's mood by simply reoccurring once a year.

"Glad to see that you have finally arrived!" Helga exclaimed. "Please, take a seat and have yourself a drink."

Godric wasted no time before obeying, lifting his glass high in the air after taking a seat in an armchair.

"To us," he commenced a toast, "the most brilliant witches and wizards of this century, to Hogwarts; our shared dream, and to Christmas; a time for family and friends!"

Both Rowena and Salazar felt their solemn moods slip away as they lifted their glasses to clink them with Godric's, and then Helga's. They all finished their first glasses, and poured themselves more.

"Is Felix not here, Helga?" Godric wanted to know. Helga smiled at the name of her betrothed.

"He should be here, yes," she explained. "He went out to purchase some candles before the shops are closed; we were running low."

"Perhaps he is running late," Rowena commented. "The weather outside is harsh."

"That seems to be the case, yes," said Helga. "He said he was going to visit his parents this evening, to give us friends some time to ourselves."

"That is considerate of him," Salazar replied.

"Yes, but he should come to see you all for a little while," the cheery woman responded.

Conveniently, at that moment, they heard a lock turn, a door open, and the sound of wind and snow from the wild outdoors.

Felix, a tall, tidy looking man, appeared in the entrance of the room. When he saw there was company, he bowed politely, and then continued into the room, towards Helga's side. They embraced, and then Felix turned to the other three people in the room.

"Good evening, and Happy Christmas, to all of you!" he greeted, with a smile. He was a cheery sort of fellow, and always enjoyed visiting with Helga's friends, engaging himself in her life and interests. Naturally, the three other founders liked him, and didn't mind spending time with him while in his and Helga's home.

Helga slipped away from his side towards the kitchen, and reappeared with a fifth glass, to fill for Felix. The two of them sat together.

"Tell me how you have all been," Felix insisted, for he had not seen much of Godric, Rowena, and Salazar since the four had commenced the building of the castle.

They continued to talk amongst themselves late into the evening, enjoying each other's company and the spirit of Christmas.

* * *

**January, 1014 **

"I suppose it is time to find the book," Salazar said quietly and the others quickly nodded, but didn't respond.

Wordlessly, Rowena stood, for the book was hidden deep in the cellar beneath her house, secured within a complex wooden strongbox. She left the other three and went to retrieve it.

The wooden chest smelt of dust, and Rowena felt a small pang of guilt for not looking at the book at all over the past couple of years. Once they had done the spell correctly, they had hidden it well, for it would be a dangerous source of information.

She decided at that moment that she would carry the small box back up to her friends, so they could remove the book together. She grasped it firmly and made her way back up to her living room.

Her friends were still silent when she returned, but they looked up to acknowledge her coming into the room. She nodded to them, and sat down beside Salazar.

She opened the lid of the strongbox and looked at the book that lay beneath it. It was large and thick, containing hundreds, perhaps thousands of pages that had already begun to age. The box was spacious, giving the novel room enough to lay there opened.

She knew that everyone was thinking the same thing at that moment. They were thinking about the importance of this book; to some people it may look completely useless, simply a bunch of mostly empty pages bound together. The four of them knew that at least a couple of the pages would have writing on them by now, and that the rest would fill as the years went by.

They were all remembering the process in which this book became. The discovery, the bewitching – it was as clear in their minds as if it has been done yesterday.

"_Look at this," Rowena said, as she slid a thick book towards Salazar. The young man watched her for a second, be__fore casting down his eyes to regard what she was so eager to show him. _

_Instructions and diagrams filled the light brown pages. It was for a spell, one that required very strong magical ability. Salazar held his breath as his eyes made their way to the top paragraph_

Magic cannot be created, destroyed, stolen, or given. It can, however, be sensed. Magic is deep within the souls of witches and warlocks. When a new life form is added to the earth, its additional magical substance may be pinpointed.

The following spells may assist a witch or warlock to bewitch an object that will immediately make a record of any new magical substance within an area. The larger the area, and more difficult the spell will be to conjure and maintain.

_Momentarily forgetting where he was, Salazar's mouth hung open in shock as he thought of the possibilities. A moment later, he sensed Rowena shift in her chair a little. He closed his mouth and looked up to her, unsure of what to say. _

"_It is a very helpful novel," she told him plainly, to break the silence. "I'm sure we may find other spells in it for other things we may need."_

_Salazar smiled. Rowena was always prepared. She was always thinking, always testing her knowledge, always ready to tackle any task. She was an admirable woman. _

"_This is perfect," he breathed quietly. "Perfect." _

_Rowena nodded, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards in satisfaction of her friend's reaction._

"_It is full of powerful knowledge," Salazar continued, now flipping a few pages to see what else the book had to offer, "very powerful, indeed. Something like this is the wrong hands …" He continued to admire the novel, but then flipped back to the original page. _

"_I found it in my father's library," Rowena explained. "I was anxious to figure out how we could find students, when people need to be so secretive about their magic. I couldn't help but feel that there would be no easy way to accomplish it. Then I found this." _

"_Brilliant," Salazar replied. "This spell looks intriguing; it will be a challenge to conjure."_

"_That makes it all the more exciting, does it not?" Rowena said, playfulness dancing in her deep blue eyes. _

_Together they examined the preparation steps and the instructions for the spell, both eager to try it. When they finally felt as though they could leave it for a bit, they packed it up and went to show their other two friends. _

_The four friends had moderately busy lives, and by the time they felt they could attempt their magic locator spell, the season was already changing. They met together in the lodgings that Salazar and Godric shared. _

_Helga set a package down on the table in their living space, and extracted a huge black-bound book from it, along with a quill made from an eagle feather. _

_Rowena bent down to grab the book with the instructions in it, but Godric placed a hand on her elbow, stopping her. "You don't need it," he told her. "I have no doubt that you will perform this spell perfectly." _

_The dark haired woman looked up at him sternly and went to argue, but Salazar stopped her. "Godric speaks the truth. You are the most intelligent witch I know, Rowena."_

"_Together, we shall accomplish this," Helga added. "We're in this together."_

_These comments not only reassured Rowena, but made all four of them a little calmer about the situation. This was just one spell, and they knew how to do it properly. This would be nothing, compared to the magic and skill they would need to build an entire castle on their own. Now, they all felt rejuvenated and ready, as they gripped their wands tightly. _

_There was more to it than a simple incantation. Making an object capable of sensing and recording magical ability required a powerful mindset. They needed to want the spell to work. They had to feel the need for the book and the quill to work properly. If they focused enough, it would work, and it would keep working for years._

_The four of them all took their wands out at the same time. _

_They had gone over the incantation already, the Latin words swam in their minds eye and they pointed their wands towards the book and the quill. They had planned this out beforehand. Rowena and Helga were focusing their power on the quill, while the men focused on the book. They were prepared, they were ready, and nothing was about to stop them. _

"Annalis Natura_," they all said in deep, serious voices. They were all so focused that the outside world seemed to dissolve around them, as they willed their magic to give the two instruments power of their own. _

_Godric focused his entire being on the prospect of influencing the lives of young people. _

_Helga imagined all the different students she would meet, discovering their special magical abilities._

_Salazar envisioned the witches and wizards whom he would teach so that they could carry on the legacy their mentors had started. _

_Rowena anticipated all the new things she would learn as she delved even further into the theory of magic in order to properly teach her students. _

_The area around them was bathed in a white-blue hue, which engulfed the four friends and the book and quill. Their concentration didn't budge. _

_The light grew greater still, as the incantation they had spoken took life and activated the magic the four possessed. They continued to think of nothing aside from the success of the spell. _

_Then, quicker than it had appeared, the light was drawn back to the table and into the two objects sitting on top of it. Dead silence took the place of the light, giving an eerie feeling to the dark room. _

_Godric, Helga, Salazar, and Rowena each put their wand arms down without tearing their eyes away from the book or the quill. They made no other movement, and didn't say a word. _

_Nothing was happening. Rowena started to panic a little inside while still remaining completely still. Why wasn't anything happening? Rowena felt her spirit drop as she thought of their defeat. She had believed they were strong enough to do this together, but it seemed as though she was, for once in her life, incorrect. _

_She finally tore her gaze from the quill and started to back up, giving into failure. She regarded her friends. Godric and Helga still looked hopeful, though not perfectly so. Salazar had also seemed to give up, his shoulders slumped slightly as he took a deep breath. _

_Before the lanky man could walk away, however, Godric grabbed him by the elbow, holding him fast. The other did not look at him, nor did he speak to him, but he gently pulled him back into the stance he had been in before. _

_Unsure of what Godric was doing, Rowena also took the step back to her spot in their small circle and raised her wand once again. She watched intently, as Godric let go of Salazar, and instead, moved his hand towards the book. _

_He closed his eyes, making his thoughts impossible to read, though Rowena could interpret them anyhow. Her friend thought they still had a chance, with a little more willpower. The incantation, spoken in four different timbres, still hung in the dense air. _

_Godric placed his right hand on the thick book, which glowed a little brighter underneath his warm touch. Helga took his lead, and pressed her small fingertips to one end of the eagle-feather quill. _

_Rowena instantly understood and held the opposite end of the quill, after taking a brief look at her cheery, blonde-haired friend. The sunny woman was once again full to the brim with confidence, which made Rowena feel a little confident herself. _

_There was only one of them left. Salazar hesitated, not so sure of their actions as his friends were. How was this supposed to properly activate the spell? The man was unsure, but he thought he had nothing to lose. He pressed his palm to the top of the book, alongside Godric's and the volume grew brighter still. _

_All four of them experienced an instant change. The room grew warm, and the objects in their hands seemed to boil under their fingers. The white light shone again, and the heat intensified as they held their statures even longer, their will power growing with each second. _

_Godric had pulled his hand away just in time for the front cover of the book to fly open and lie still upon the table. A moment later, the hands were coming away from the quill as well, as it jumped into the air and hovered a few inches over the book. _

_Time passed, and the four stood there, like they had before, but this time with a new attitude. Now they were filled with hope and amazement as they watched the quill balance within the air. _

_Suddenly, it flew down towards the paper and slide across the page. There was no ink on the quill, yet black letters were scrawled across the hard surface._

_There was a date, a time, and then a name. _

_The quill was recording the birth of a baby, a baby with magical ability. _

_Godric, Salazar, Helga, and Rowena all let out a sigh of relief and happiness, then looked up at each other, smiles beginning to spread across their faces. _

It had been a long time since their accomplishment, and the result of it was now sitting in front of them. It had slowly recorded the names of witches and wizards in the area, so that when the time came, the four Hogwarts founders would know who to enlist for their first term of classes.

The book was placed onto the table. It was warm to the touch, they found, even after all this time. The first page was indeed filled with names, dates of birth, and other information. Four sets of eyes started to scan the page, reading the names to see if any were recognizable.

"I volunteer to go through the names," Godric announced suddenly. "I will find all those who will be of the correct age by the start of our first year."

The others nodded.

"We should compose a letter," said Rowena. "A letter to send to those who should attend, with all the information and supplies they may need. Once Godric has found all the names, we shall prepare to send them out, to give our students a fair amount of time to ready themselves."

"Let us work on that together, Rowena," suggested Helga. "I could write the informational letter, and you may put together a list of supplies and requirements."

"Excellent," her friend replied.

"As for transportation," said Salazar, "Godric and I will work it out. I believe we could make portkeys, and place them in the main villages that students will be arriving from."

"Wonderful plan," Godric commented. "We are getting close, my friends, very close."

With that last sentence ringing in their minds, the four friends disembarked, off to prepare themselves for September. Excitement coursed through their veins as they went through their individual tasks, anticipating what the last half of the year would hold.

* * *

**Welcome to the end of Chapter 5. Thanks for reading! Please leave me a review and let me know how you enjoyed this chapter!**

**In case you were wondering, Felix, Helga's betrothed, is based on JK Rowling's character, Felix Summerby, the inventor of the Cheering Charm. He was Wizard of the Month for May 2004 _and_ 2005. Remember, my character is _based_ on him, since the real one lived about 500 years after this story, and I don't particularily imagine him like the picture I found of him on the internet somewhere. **

**Annalis Natura: I made up this latin phrase, using words I thought appropriate. I do not know latin, so who knows if it's grammatically correct or not. Annalis, I used for it's meaning of a record of something, possibly yearly. Natura, I used for its general meaning of substance, essence, birth, or nature. Hopefully my translations are correct. **

**Happy New Years too all,  
-D0nQuix0te**


	6. Founders Founded

HA! I hath returned. Many apologies for the update delay. Let's just say that exams are evil.

I owe xLady-Helenax my life, for all the beta-ness she has done for me. (But don't tell her!)

Lastly, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to 13figureskater-Draco'sgirl because...?  
a) She's awesome  
b) She writes wonderful HPDM slash  
c) She's writing a sweet story about the Founders! (I DEMAND that you go check it out. It's called _The Keepers of Wisdom_.)  
d) All of the above

The answer is d) All of the Above. Just in case you didn't get that.

* * *

A heavily cloaked man stepped into a sweltering, misty pub, walking past the crowd of loud and intoxicated people to the counter. He picked a stool, leaving one in between him and the next man over, who was also cloaked. He stretched his legs, glad for the chance to rest. They were stiff from a long day of travelling.

His nose filled with the aroma of drink and smoke; quite a change from the fresh outdoor smell that his senses were now used too. He coughed a little, after inhaling too much of the hazy air at once.

The barman approached, as he cleaned a glass with a cloth.

"What can I get you, sir?" he asked lazily.

"Scotch whisky, please," the man answered. The barman wandered off to get the drink, leaving the man alone to survey the room.

Like any pub, the room was completely full. There were people who sat alone to the edges of the room, enjoying their drinks in solitude, and everyone else was either social by nature, by already knowing many of the people from elsewhere, or having been softened with alcohol.

Large groups of rowdy men laughed and told tales, amusing each other and having a grand time. At the far end of the room, a couple of young men played the fiddle while others danced and sang along to the familiar Scottish tunes.

A glass clinked down in front of him, and he turned back towards it, causing his bushy dark brown hair to cascade over his face.

"Thank you," he offered, taking the glass and bringing it to his lips. Smooth liquid slid across his tongue and down his throat, instantly calming his senses. He slowly sipped at it, getting used to the taste. It was stronger than he was familiar with, and it took effect on him quicker. He set the glass down, taking a break to digest.

It had been a thoroughly tiring day. He had been on the road for the better half of a week already, traveling without destination. He yearned to find his calling, his purpose. He knew he would not find it in his West Country home, but that didn't mean he knew where he _would_ find it.

A part of him just knew – knew that he needed to be elsewhere, with different motives, alongside different people. He was not frightened of the untamed world, and therefore he set off alone to discover the mysteries of his being.

He was slowly picking up his glass to take a drink before continuing his strenuous thoughts when a feminine shriek rang through the building.

He turned, as did the man who sat to his side. They saw a woman in the middle of the room, surrounded by men. He hadn't noticed her before; she appeared to be one of the only females in the room.

"Snake!" another voice cried out in fright.

Many people gasped or yelled, and some jumped up onto the table.

"A snake got inside!" yet another voice called, as though people needed more warning.

Indeed, on the ground, both men sitting at the bar saw a snake. A _Vipera Berus_ slithered beneath the tables and meandered between the legs of various chairs, making people flinch with fright. The creature didn't seem intent on harming anyone; perhaps it simply wanted to get out of the cool, crisp air outside.

The man set his glass down on the table again and made to stand. He was not afraid of snakes, and if there was something he could do to help these people, he would do it.

Before he could make a move, however, he heard a faint hissing noise. He watched the Viper, wondering how he could hear its hissing from such a distance, within such ruckus. He then realized that the sound was not coming from straight ahead, but from his side.

Instantly, the snake stopped moving, and raised its head in the air. A moment later, it was sliding its way towards the door, leaving a path of nervous people in its wake. No one spoke, as it promptly made its way out the propped open door into the fresh night.

Silence, both fearful and amazed stretched across the room. A fiddler accidently let his bow slip through his inactive fingers and a solemn note played just loud enough for all to hear.

It broke the ice, and noise filled the room once again, getting gradually louder as people got over the shock of the snake. The men at the bar returned to their drinks.

The darker man said nothing, even though the other stole glances in his direction. He took a swig of his scotch whisky.

"So, do you talk to snakes often?" the man said suddenly, unable to contain the question.

The other did not move, or acknowledge that any words had been spoken. He continued to look forward, into the light brown ale in front of him.

"You know, your silence makes me all the more curious," he added, determined to pry some words from the gentleman two seats over.

"I do not comprehend that which you are referring too," the dark man finally supplied. "One cannot speak to snakes; the concept is ridiculous."

"Ah, but it isn't ridiculous, is it? To a muggle, it may be, but not to a Parselmouth."

The other man stirred. His attention was finally focused on the brown-haired man, brought to awareness with the words "muggle" and "Parselmouth".

"Mmm, that's what I thought." He drank a little more, giving the Parselmouth time to speak.

"Be wary of what words you speak aloud. To a muggle, you would sound similar to a raving madman," the dark man finally said.

"Maybe I _am_ a raving madman. Ever think of that?" the other responded, a smirk playing along his face.

The darker one sighed. "I apologize for my frankness, sir, but simply being bred from similar lines of genealogy with certain – interesting – abilities, does not make us companions," he said in a low, threatening voice.

"No matter, I don't come from these parts, nor will I be staying here," the man replied, not at all disturbed by the other man's coldness.

"Ah, it appears we have something in common after all," the quick reply came, startling the brown-haired man.

"You're traveling? On your own?" He curiously asked.

The other nodded. "I search for a place to accomplish my desires, with people who share my vision." He then tipped his glass to his mouth and took a hearty gulp.

"I wish to accomplish much the same," the man stated, "though I have yet to focus on one passion. I simply wish to make my mark on the world, and achieve something great in the world of wizardry." He finished the sentence in a low voice, avoiding being overhead.

For the first time, the other man looked up at him, straight into his eyes. The hood of his cloak fell away from his face, showing a stern, serious looking visage. He turned on his stool, facing the other man who sat but two feet away.

"What be your name, good sir?" he asked.

"Gryffindor," the man replied. "Godric Gryffindor."

The other offered a hand. "Salazar Slytherin."

The wind carried the sound of laughter miles beyond the grassy meadow in which two young girls played joyously. Up the hill, their mothers picked flowers and herbs, chatting with each other all the while.

The two girls chased each other, swerving through the long blades of grass.

"Try and catch me!" the blonde cried out happily.

"As you wish!" the brunette answered, just as confident. She took off after her friend at high speed. She had long mastered the skill of sprinting in dresses, aprons, and ladies shoes. Much as their mothers attempted to contain their playful and wild nature, the two young girls could not help it.

Laughter rang through the air as Rowena caught her best friend Helga, and grabbed her around the waist. They collapsed to the ground in a fit of giggles, an arm still wrapped around each other.

The grass and plants completely enclosed them, shielding them from the world around them. Without giving a single thought to the possibility of grass stains, Helga rolled onto her knees and crawled away into the vegetation.

"Now," she said lightly, "try and _find_ me!" Her voice disappeared, and was replaced with the rustling of grass and leaves. Rowena smirked. This would be easy! Then she would challenge Helga again, and show her what it meant to be good at hiding and running.

However, before she could make a move, she heard both her name, and Helga's name being called from the knoll. A head of brown hair popped up from the plants to see her mother. The older woman gave a gesture, and Rowena knew playtime was over.

"Helga," she hissed. "We have to go, you heard our mothers!"

No one responded.

"Helga! Let's go!" Rowena tried again, but she was still met with silence. She stood, dusted off some mud from her apron, and began searching through the grass for her well-hidden friend. There were no signs on her, not one sound.

"Helga?" Rowena asked, looking at the vast ground before her.

A sudden force collided with her back, and she was on the ground again, beneath a triumphant looking Helga. "Ha!" the blonde laughed merrily. "I got you!"

The girls laughed, and stood together. With an arm securely around each other's waist, they walked briskly up the hill to their waiting mothers.

The women instantly scolded their daughters for their reckless and unladylike behavior.

"I don't know how you expect your father and I to purchase a wand for you, my dear," Helga's mother said sternly. "I can hardly trust your manners now, and a wand would only make it worse."

"But mother, I really do want one!" Helga whined. "I want to be able to cast spells like you and father!"

"Then show me that you are responsible enough for it!" the woman replied. Rowena's mother nodded in agreement. Rowena had a wand, but she was forbidden to use it without the company of her parents.

"I will, mother, I will!" Helga stated boldly. "I want to be one of the greatest witches _ever_!"

Two young women, a blonde and a brunette, accompanied each other to the market. Arms linked, and baskets in their opposite hands, they walked briskly through the aisles of produce and baking products.

They chattered and laughed, enjoying each other's company, and the bright sunny day.

"I found a novel today that I believe you may enjoy," Rowena said happily. "It's all about magical plants and how they vary from some normal muggle plants."

"That sounds interesting," Helga answered. "I would love to take a look at it. I assume you found it in your library?"

"Of course, sweet Helga, where else do I get all my books with magical content?"

"I am sure that without your library, you would have come up with a way to acquire books on magic, fair Rowena."

"You may very well be correct, my dear," Rowena countered with a smile.

"I often am, am I not?" Helga joked. "I know you as well as I know myself!"

Rowena laughed, and Helga joined in. The best friends paused in their walk, and Helga added an onion to her basket. They continued towards the merchant a few paces ahead to pay for their goods.

Suddenly, they heard the clunk of horse hooves beating against the earth. The chatter of the people on the streets continued, but both Helga and Rowena turned to regard the riders. There were two of them; both upon dark brown horses.

Rowena realized instantly that they were not native to this part of the country. Between the differences in their clothes, and the amount of luggage they traveled with, she could see they had come a long way.

The riders slowed to a trot as they made their way through the crowd on the dusty streets. The two women followed them with their eyes. Neither rode afore nor behind the other, showing their equality in stature. One had bushy brown hair, and the other had straight dark hair, pulled into a knot at the nape of his neck.

Some people in the street had also stopped to see the visitors pass through, wondering who they were and where they came from. The two rode on, not making too much eye contact with the villagers.

"Who do you reckon?" Helga whispered.

Rowena shook her head slowly, telling her friend that she did not know the origins of the strange visitors. "There's something interesting about them, however, no?" she said.

"I agree," the blonde responded quietly.

Rowena looked into the dark brown eyes of one of the men, struck by the look of set determination. He looked fierce, yet merciful at the same time.

Before she knew what was happening, the man's head turned, and her gaze was met, full on, by the brown-haired man. She was shocked immobile, keeping hold of their eye contact. She felt slightly vulnerable under his stare.

He turned away as he rode further away and Rowena felt calm again, though still bothered, as if something was nagging at her from the back of her mind. She remained completely still, watching the two figures disappear, until Helga broke their silence.

"Would you be up for an answer-seeking adventure?"

Rowena gave a small grin. "Of course."

Godric and Salazar led their mounts into an open stable, unhooking their bags and leaving the animals to drink some water and take a rest. Located beside the stable was a quaint pub, with available lodgings on the top floor.

"Shall we?" Godric asked, gesturing towards the door. Salazar nodded, and fell into step with his friend. They entered the building, and found themselves a table near the back. It was very different from the pub they had first met in. It was lighter, and cleaner, and had a friendlier feel.

Godric assumed it was meant more for travelers like he and Salazar, rather than a pub for a bunch of men to get together and drink.

Like always, Godric leant back in his wooden chair, stretching his limbs and giving a good yawn as he got comfortable, while Salazar remained stiff and proper under the eyes of the general public.

"Relax," Godric said, "we're resting."

Salazar sat back a little, but did not respond.

"Shall I get us some drinks?" Godric asked, hoping to make Salazar say something so that they could talk normally.

"If you'd like," was the reply. Godric yawned again, and nodded.

"Well, what do you think of this place?" Godric tried again, prying.

"It's different," Salazar supplied. "It does not seem more right then any other village we have traveled to, but there is something about it that I like."

Godric smiled triumphantly, grateful that his dark friend had finally finished a whole sentence. He was getting better at the "friend" thing as they went along. He thought about what his friend had said, and replied.

"I have to agree," he said. "Do you think there is any chance of magic folk here?" He spoke quieter, as a couple of ladies entered and picked a table nearby.

"There really isn't any way to tell, is there?" Salazar countered, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Sometimes there is," said Godric. "In the fine details. In some villages, the wizards like to help the muggles without their knowledge. In others, there is an element of fear associated with magic. That usually means the presence of 'strange happenings'."

Salazar nodded. "You have a point. It is obvious that you have been further across these countries then I. Then, the real question is, do _you_ think there are any magic folk here?"

Godric laughed. "Perhaps," he said. "If there are many, they don't mix themselves up with the muggles all that much, they blend in more."

"I see," Salazar contemplated. "Shall we stay for awhile or move on?"

"I suggest we stay awhile," Godric said carefully, "To learn more about this place, not to mention the fact that we could really use a break. We can stay here, if we'd like." He nodded upwards towards the upper floor.

"Alright."

A gasp sounded from a couple tables over. Godric and Salazar looked around to see what was happening, both reminded of the first night they had met.

Over a few tables sat the two women who had come in earlier. There was a blonde and a brunette, and the first of the two was covered her mouth politely. The darker one was grinning knowingly. Salazar glared, unable to help himself. He wished he could tell how much the two females had overheard.

The blonde blushed, as the two men watched them.

"Good day," Godric said, smiling. He thought it was best to act natural, in case they were muggles and had heard them talking about magic. The less suspicious they were the better.

"Hello," Rowena responded, recovering from the shock quicker than her friend.

"Nice whether we're having?" Godric replied as though he was starting a friendly conversation. Rowena shook her head and rolled her eyes, momentarily forgetting that she was in the presence of men.

"Weather? Have you nothing better to talk about?"

Rowena's joking helped Helga feel more at ease, and she lowered her pale hand and regarded their company properly.

"Such as?" Salazar said, speaking for the first time.

"I suppose there is no use denying that we heard your conversation," Rowena started, looking at the table she was sitting at. "We saw you come into town, and we wished to know more about you."

Helga winced at Rowena's words, worried that the two men may act harshly to being followed. Rowena, however, continued on boldly, giving the men no time to react.

"You wonder if there are magic folk here?" the brown-haired lady added. "There are."

"Ah, I assume you speak of thyself?" Godric asked, making absolute sure he understood.

"Yes," Rowena whispered, leaning across the table to be closer to Godric. "May I ask who you might be?" she asked politely.

"Salazar Slytherin," Salazar offered immediately, surveying Rowena.

"I am Godric Gryffindor," the other man followed, smiling at both ladies.

Helga bowed her head courteously. "Helga Hufflepuff," she added.

"Rowena Ravenclaw," Rowena said with a smile.

* * *

**Did I just write my very own filler? I think I did. Hope you liked it!**

**Disclaimer: If I said Harry Potter and all related characters were mine, would you believe me? Didn't think so.**

**Thank you for reading, please review!  
-D0nQuix0te**


	7. Before There Was a Sorting Hat

…**Many apologies for updating so gosh darn slowly. School is evil. **

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter n'est pas le mienne! (I feel french today). **

**xLady-Helenax, as always, is my wonderful beta.

* * *

**

The temperature was still very hot by the time September came. The four founders were eagerly awaiting the start of the term. This was their first year with students in the school, and they were looking forward to it. They waited together in Hogsmeade, watching in silence for the first group of students to arrive.

Suddenly, Helga let out a gasp of surprise. The others followed her line of vision and spotted the group of little eleven year olds and a few adults appear out of thin air, holding between them a plank of old wood, and all clutching bags and trunks.

The little children were either looking very excited, or were too shy to speak to any of the others. Godric led the way, and the four young teachers went to greet the group.

"Welcome to Hogsmeade," Helga said brightly, smiling at the children who looked frightened.

"Yes, welcome indeed. We are now waiting for the rest of the students to arrive, and then we will proceed to the castle all together," Salazar continued.

Rowena spoke to the adults, who were parents of some of the children. They had wanted to make sure their young ones were safe, before leaving them in the hands of four unknown witches and wizards for the term before Christmas.

"Good Morning," she greeted them with a curtsy. They all returned the greeting respectively. "Do any of you wish to ask a question before we take the children to Hogwarts?"

Some of them looked uneasy, while others looked satisfied.

"There will be…protection... around them, correct?" one timid looking woman asked quietly.

"Of course," Rowena assured, addressing the whole group. "We have placed many Muggle-deflecting charms around the castle and it is also unplottable, amongst other things. There is no way for unwanted guests to get onto the grounds. We assure you that your children and their magical abilities will be safe in our hands."

The timid woman nodded quickly to show she understood and some of the others looked impressed.

It was then that two more groups of the students arrived simultaneously, also accompanied by more parents. Rowena excused herself from the first group so that she could go greet the other groups with her friends.

All four of them were pleased with the turnout so far. They hadn't notified a large amount of students for their starting year, and three of the five portkeys had already arrived.

Before they could do anything more than greet the two groups, the fourth came. Rowena noticed sadly that this group was smaller than the ones before it. The four friends thought nothing of it though. They had many students already and that was enough to encourage them. To give up was not their style.

The groups tentatively came to stand together in one large group. Helga spoke to the children and encouraged them to not be shy, while Godric beamed and moved swiftly through the people and greeted as many as possible. Salazar simply stood before them all, watching and calculating.

Salazar was looking forward to teaching. As much as he tried to keep his cool and seem indifferent, this moment was very important to him. He was not exactly modest, and knew he and his friends held much knowledge to pass on. He looked forward to assisting young people to learn and control their magic.

The fifth portkey then arrived, and two identical children appeared beside someone who had to be their mother. The shock of only two students coming from that area was quickly out-shadowed by the fact that the two children, one boy and one girl, appeared to not be nervous at all. They contrasted immensely with the rest of the eleven-year-olds.

They had auburn hair and deep blue eyes. They turned towards each other at the same time and give the other a smirk. Then they strode confidently to the front of the large group.

Godric smiled at them, looking excited. Rowena understood his satisfaction; these two young ones had a powerful and confident aura, much like Godric himself.

"Welcome here, children," Godric said brightly as he held his hand out in their direction. In turn, they both shook his hand while smiling wickedly.

"Thank you, sir," they chorused.

Then Godric straightened, and address the group.

"_Sonorus_," he muttered, pointing his wand to his throat. "Welcome, all!" he exclaimed, his voice now amplified several times louder than normal. Some of the kids gasped in surprise, while others smiled approvingly and looked even more excited than before.

"I am Godric Gryffindor," he told them, "and I am one of the founders of Hogwarts. You are our first year of students. This is Salazar Slytherin," he said, gesturing to his side, where Salazar stood with his arms crossed against his chest. Then he moved past Salazar to Helga. "This is Helga Hufflepuff, and lastly, Rowena Ravenclaw," he finished, nodding towards Rowena.

"We are now going to walk up to the castle, where we will meet in the Great Hall. Parents are encouraged to accompany us, and ask any questions they may have. Alright, let us go!" Godric added and swiftly turned on his heel and started up the path that led to Hogwarts.

The twins followed Godric without delay, and their mother immediately followed them. The rest of the group slowly fell into line after them; Rowena and Salazar mixed themselves in one either side, while Helga brought up the rear.

Rowena was reminded of the first time she had walked from Hogsmeade to the place where Hogwarts was now, and how excited she had felt. She hoped that the students felt as she had then. This walk meant more to her now then she thought it would. It was a fresh new beginning.

The weather was still warm and bright. The children chattered with each other, quickly finding common ground with other witches and wizards and making friends. All the four founders noticed and felt proud of their soon-to-be students. It made them all feel as though their dream was really coming true; witches and wizards could be aware of each other, learn together, and befriend each other.

In the front of the group, Godric was getting acquainted with the twin students and their mother.

"Where did you learn to do magic, sir?" the girl asked curiously.

Godric laughed. "It was a mix between my parents teaching me, and reading various books. The four of us have learned a lot of new magic over the past couple of years," he explained.

"Reading books!" the boy exclaimed.

"How can you learn magic from reading?" the girl continued in shock.

"Magic is not just saying a word and pointing a wand," Godric supplied. "There is a theory behind it. There are different ways to hold a wand to get different effects, and sometimes you have to be thinking about certain things for the magic to activate."

The twins were silent in awe until a moment later they both gave the wicked smile they had when they had first arrived in Hogsmeade.

"This is going to be fun," the boy said happily.

"Yes, and very exciting," said the girl.

"When do we start?" they asked together, directing the question to Godric.

The man laughed again, thoroughly enjoying the conversation he was having with the two young children. "Very soon, I assure you. There will be a sorting ceremony and we will have the rest of the day to settle in, and have a feast. Tomorrow, we will start classes."

"Sorting ceremony?" they asked simultaneously.

It was Godric's turn to smile wickedly. "You will soon find out, young ones. Just be patient."

Both of them groaned dramatically, clearly too curious to wait. Fortunately for them, they were distracted by gasps from the crowd as they come closer to the top of the knoll and more than the towers of the castle were visible. They could see it in more detail now, its complex architecture and majestic walls and towers.

The twins bounced around Godric and their mother happily. Godric couldn't help but laugh once again at the happiness and energy the two young ones exerted. It warmed his heart to see the joy that he and his three friends were able to bring to a group of young witches and wizards.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was about to officially begin.

* * *

Helga watched, with a tear in her eye, as the students gazed in fascination and amazement when they were all assembled in the Great Hall. Many of them had exclaimed out loud the first time they walked in and saw that the ceiling looked even more magnificent then the sky outside. 

Slowly, the children were becoming less nervous. Setting their anxiety aside, they couldn't help but talk to each other and share stories about how they had catastrophically broken things in anger or made objects fly through the air by accident. They all wanted to know if any of the other students had met wizards and witches before. They wanted to explore the idea of not needing to hide their abilities.

The term hadn't even started and the change that Helga and her friends had made in the lives of a few young children was already noticeable. She smiled, watching all the students getting comfortable. She hoped to see many of them in Hufflepuff house.

Her friends were gathering together at the other end of the hall, also watching as the students got familiar with this part of the castle. Helga made her way towards them, falling into line beside Godric.

"This is a joyful moment," she said to her silent friends. "I hope I may recall this memory for all of my life."

"Indeed," Salazar replied quietly. His eyes moved swiftly from student to student, memorizing their faces.

"Shall we get started?" Godric asked brightly. The others nodded, and he beamed. He stepped forward towards the crowd of eleven year olds, and amplified his voice once again.

All the students quieted down immediately, wanted to hear more about how their year would play out. Godric hardly had to say anything to grab their attention.

"Here at Hogwarts, we have four houses," he informed them, pausing for a moment to make sure everyone was listening before continuing. "Each of us here," he gestured to Helga, Rowena, and Salazar behind him, "have a house named after ourselves, and you will all be sorted into them depending on your personality. This way, you will be rooming with other students with the same interests and strengths as you."

A quiet murmur flowed through the students, as they grew excited.

"After you are sorted into houses, we will all proceed to your dormitories," Godric continued. "Your head of house will explain how things work here at Hogwarts, and then show you the main parts of the castle. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask any of us!" Once again, Godric beamed at them all, unable to hide his own excitement.

Behind him, Rowena held her wand forward and conjured a small roll of parchment. She stepped forward and unrolled it before addressing the students. "I will call all your names in turn, and you will come forward," she instructed, smiling at them. "Salazar will perform some magic that will show us your personality, and allow us to pick the appropriate house for you to reside in."

Godric went to stand with Helga and observed and Salazar also stepped forward while taking his wand out from an inner pocket of his robes. He nodded to Rowena, showing her that he was ready when she was.

Rowena unrolled her scroll and looked down, before calling a name to the crowd. "Black, Cygnus," she said loudly, and then watched as a small, straight-backed boy with dark hair and eyes stepped forward. She smiled reassuringly, and he returned it quickly, before eyeing Salazar.

"Fear me not," Salazar said lightly. "This will only take a few moments, and then you shall be placed in a house." He raised his wand importantly, and pointed it towards Cygnus Black.

"_Legilimens._" The word sounded smooth being spoken by Salazar's calm, silky voice. Cygnus looking curious, and not frightened at all, but his eyes widened when the magic began to work. Salazar saw past experiences, a home life, friendships, and scenarios flash quickly before his eyes, giving him a clear image of how the small boy functioned, and how he reacted to things. It was over as soon as it had begun, and Cygnus stood before them with a confused, blank face.

Salazar grinned a little, clearly pleased. "A Slytherin for sure," he said proudly, nodding at Cygnus. The boy smiled; relieved to find that the magic had worked the way the Salazar wanted it too. He stepped back to the side to watch the rest of the students get sorted.

Rowena returned to her list to see the second person on the list was related to the first. "Black, Orion," she called. A boy that looked similar to Cygnus came forth, though he was taller than his cousin, and had more defined cheekbones.

Now that the students had already seen the process once, Salazar did not waste time with instructions of reassurances. "_Legilimens_," he spoke softly. A moment later, Orion Black was defined as a Slytherin as well.

Elgar Bones was sorted into Hufflepuff, and Joseph Burgess went to Ravenclaw, and Rowena and Salazar made their way through the list alphabetically. When Rowena called "Prewett, Jacob," the male of the twins practically sprinted up, eagerly waiting to be sorted. When Salazar declared, "Gryffindor," Rowena was sure she had never seen Godric look happier. "Prewett, Jane," followed suit, and returned to her brother's side.

"Congratulations," Rowena said enthusiastically. "You have all been sorted!" She reminded the students of all their names, in case they had forgotten, and then the group separated itself and formed into four new ones before their respective founder.

* * *

"Welcome to the Gryffindor common room," said Godric, walking backwards into the majestic red and gold room backwards so that he could look at his students while he talked to them. He took pride in the way the little eleven year olds face's brightened when they saw where they would be staying.

He watched as the Prewett twins give each other a secret grin; Arnold McKinnon pointed to the fireplaces excitedly to Marshall Newton, and Sophia Evanson and Melody Hurrson chatted animatedly about how comfy and inviting it all looked. Benjamin Fenwick, on the other hand, did not hesitate, and was sitting in a huge red chair instantly, relaxing into it and closing his eyes.

Godric chuckled and waited until his small group of new Gryffindors was settled in and ready for more. "Shall we proceed to the dormitories?" he asked them, with a nod towards the stairs behind him.

There was a chorus of voices exclaiming, "Yeah!" or "Yes, please!" and Godric waved his arm over towards the staircases and the students reacted immediately. They were at his side before he could say a word.

"These are the boy's dormitories," Godric explained, pointing to the right. "Those are the girl's dormitories," he added, shifting to the left. "Your luggage was taken care of during the sorting, and will be sent to the proper house soon. Feel free to go explore!"

The group split, the three girls going one way and the four boys going the other. Jacob and Jane waved goodbye, promising to see each other again soon.

* * *

The students were still shy, Helga noted, and she led them through the Hufflepuff chambers. They regarded everything with wide, awed, eyes, but barely said a word to each other. Annie Hykes and Emily Ivan walked beside each other, as if subconsciously gaining moral support from each other. Dorcas Meadowes and Elgar Bones grinned at each other, but aside from that, the group was silent. 

"The common room is a place for all of you to spend time together with each other and do homework," Helga told them. They all turned from whatever they were looking at to make eye contact with her while she spoke. "The dormitories are through here," she pointed, "the girls on one side and the boys on the other. Are there any questions?"

None of them had questions, or perhaps they were too shy to ask. A couple of the boys made their way into the dormitories, inspecting the rest of their house's space.

"These look comfortable," said Charles Hehl, referring to the four-poster beds in the boy's room.

Caellum Murray nodded. "They do," he answered. He walked to the window, placing a hand on the cold stone of the castle. He looked out; taking in the view, much the same way the head of his house had done once before.

* * *

Rowena was proud of herself when she saw how happy her Ravenclaw students were with their tower. They seemed to like the decorating, and they wandered through the common room, making comments to each other as they went. Some of them were immediately drawn to the bookshelves situated around the edge of the room, scanning the titles and sifting through them. 

"The room is designed to be the ultimate convenience while you do homework," Rowena explained. "The books will stay here permanently for your use, although there is a greater selection in the school library. Your beds are located up these stairs." The students followed her gaze to the dormitories.

Little Celeste Dearborn raised a hand nervously. Rowena smiled at her, urging her to speak. "May we go look at the library, miss?"

Rowena's smile broadened. It was good to see that her students were eager. "Would you all like to go see the library?" she asked the rest of the group. Most of them nodded, and walked back towards Rowena. "Alright then, let's all go together."

She held the common room door open for them and the slid back out into the hall until Rowena led them to the grand library, where they separated and searched through the tall bookshelves, happily content with the enormous selection.

* * *

"Slytherin, the house of the snake, is where ambitious, cunning students reside. The group you stand with right now is the same you will spend the rest of the school year with. In future years, there will be more students in Slytherin House, but as of now, you are the only ones," Salazar spoke to the small group of boys and girls that he had accepted into his house. "This common room is for you and you alone. Dormitories are through the back corridor. Should you have inquiries, do let me know." 

Salazar stepped back, and the Slytherins moved into the front room. Orion and Cygnus Black stuck together, inspecting the area slowly, arms crossed. Norma Keith and Lyra Nott sat at a table and chatted lightly. Another one of the girls strutted towards Salazar, face impassive.

"Carina DeLaras," she said with a curtsy. She stood straight, and then pushed a lock of brown hair behind her ear. Salazar gave a tiny bow in acknowledgement.

"What subjects will you be teaching, sir?" she wanted to know.

"I will teach you Potions and Defensive Magic," he replied briskly. Then he continued on, feeling awkward while addressing his friends in a way that was not their first names. "Professor Ravenclaw will teach Charms and History of Magic, Professor Hufflepuff will instruct Herbology and Astronomy, while Professor Gryffindor will train you in Transfiguration."

"I see. Thank you, Professor Slytherin," Carina DeLaras replied, smiling.

* * *

**W00t. ****Please leave me a review! (And if you review anonymously, feel free to leave an email, I love replying!)**

**-D0nQuix0te **


	8. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Dear Readers,

It is with great displeasure that I announce that I am putting _The Four Founders_ on hiatus.

My writing has already improved since I started this story. I feel that the first three chapters in particular are hardly acceptable anymore, and as we all know, keeping a reader's interest, especially at the beginning, is important.

I'm sure you all recognize the hardships of writing fanfiction while still in school. I'm having a difficult time updating at a reasonable pace while still keeping up with my studies.

I will return to _The Four Founders_ once I have had time to fully plan it through and have written a fair amount of it. I can guarantee a better plot, a better quality of language, and lengthier chapters.

If you're looking for some other founders stuff to read, do check out 13figureskater-Draco'sgirl's profile and read _The Keepers of Wisdom_. It is truly excellent.

Thank you ALL for your support and reviews. I love you tons.

-D0nQuix0te


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